Scillies - Day Three - Yellow-billed Cuckoo
A much better day that started with an early than expected start as the storm that had threatened to disrupt a large part of the day blew through by mid-morning. The chase was on.
The Yellow-billed Cuckoo had been sighted as I was leaving the apartment and it was the morning to cash in. A large crowd had already assembled and the obligatory Benny Hill march at the call of a sighting had everyone on the edge of their nerves. I was at the end of my tether. Mass twitches is not my thing but an inevitability for such sought after rarities.
It was eventually sighted again from the Telegraph Road but once again typically hidden in the sallows, it was only until a kind chappy with his scope nailed on that I managed to get my first of it - a real beaut. It then appeared - moving through a clump of holly, pausing briefly before flying off again. I'd had my time and it was definitely the moment to move on.
Wandering around produced little, it was generally quiet around the Isles.
A Red-throated Pipit was found on Penninis and this was a real beaut too. This was a stonking adult bird unlike the first-winter I'd had not more than 50m away from where this was back in 2014.
Down at the Old Town bay, a Kingfisher was seen on a couple of occasions where a Common Sandpiper flew in. A couple of Ringed Plover were loafing on the rocks.
A walk into Lower Moors with a stop at the Standing Stones field revealed two Yellow-browed Warbler, stunning birds whatever the weather especially when they call.
A Peregrine later flew low over the golf course. It was a good day.
The Yellow-billed Cuckoo had been sighted as I was leaving the apartment and it was the morning to cash in. A large crowd had already assembled and the obligatory Benny Hill march at the call of a sighting had everyone on the edge of their nerves. I was at the end of my tether. Mass twitches is not my thing but an inevitability for such sought after rarities.
It was eventually sighted again from the Telegraph Road but once again typically hidden in the sallows, it was only until a kind chappy with his scope nailed on that I managed to get my first of it - a real beaut. It then appeared - moving through a clump of holly, pausing briefly before flying off again. I'd had my time and it was definitely the moment to move on.
Wandering around produced little, it was generally quiet around the Isles.
Down at the Old Town bay, a Kingfisher was seen on a couple of occasions where a Common Sandpiper flew in. A couple of Ringed Plover were loafing on the rocks.
A walk into Lower Moors with a stop at the Standing Stones field revealed two Yellow-browed Warbler, stunning birds whatever the weather especially when they call.
A Peregrine later flew low over the golf course. It was a good day.
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